Flatiron stand



FLATIRON STAND M Filed July 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l A. J. TOWLER FLATIRON STAND May 21, 1940.

Filed July 11, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 21, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLATIRON STAND Agnes J. Towler, Cleveland, Ohio 7 Application July 11, 1938,'Serial No. 218,487

8 Claims.

My invention relates to stands or supports for fiatirons, said support to be attached to ironing boards, but easily detached therefrom, and aims to provide a safe and efiicient support for fiatv irons, speed up work and cut down tension and fatigue, and also to provide a rest which may be attached to the ironing board over the covers, and does not mutilate either the board, padding or covering, which is reliable and efficient in use and inexpensive to manufacture.

1 Hand ironing'with the use of the ordinary iron holder resting on the board, has been a laborious task attended by certain hazards. Extensive tests revealed the fact that under this method 5 at least of expended energy was lost motion, due to the fact that approximately one square foot of space at the widest end of the board was wasted on space reserved for resting the iron, and further'that the amount of time and energy 20. consumed lifting the iron on and oft the holder was considerable. side-in the danger of burns from accidentally touching the iron while it rests on the board, and the common occurrence of having electrical- :5. 1y heated irons injured, from being accidentally jarred from the ironing board while resting on same.

With the foregoing explanation, it logically follows that the only safe place for resting an iron while working is off the board, but for the sake of efficiency it must be adjacent to same, require no lifting of the iron, and be so constructed as to withstand slight jars while adjusting work without having the iron jarred from the board, my invention provides all these features. Its construction enables the user of same to get maximum safety and efficiency with a minimum amount of time and energy expended.

Another object of the invention is to provide 40- a fiatiron rest in the form of a metal tray-shelf, said holder being attached to the ironing board by means of specially constructed screw clamps withattached middle bar for spacing, and fastened to the tray-shelf by means of either a tog- 45- gle locking device, or stud bolts and locking nuts; with a novel thumb latching device for securing the tray-shelf in position after it is folded over on the board when same is not in use, said iron holder being of such rigid construction that it will support the heaviest flatiron without springing or sagging.

It is a further object of the invention to pro-,

vide a flatiron stand with features which will eliminate for all practical purposes, the slight tendency which a hot iron has to stick or adhere The two greatest hazards reto another smooth metal surface. This is accomplished by providing the metal tray on which the iron rests with three small upstanding ribs formed into the metal by stamping, a greater number would defeat the purpose for which they 5 are intended, viz., to provide the smallest area of contact between the two metal surfaces whichis feasible, and also aims to provide a support which is elevated at rear slightly above the horizontal plane, with a beveled edge at front where 10% stand makes contact with the ironing board, to further facilitate free movement of the iron to and from the holder.

With the foregoing and other objects in view,

which will be apparent as the description pro- 52 ceeds, the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of the flatiron rest, as hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments shown and described, but contemplates all 20; such modifications and variations thereof as fall fairly within the scope of the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, whereof:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing clamping bar attached to ironing board.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of tray-shelf detached.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing tray-shelf locked into clamping bar ready for use.

Figure 4 is a plan view of clamping plate, showing rounded corners and prongs ready for attaching to clamps.

Figure 5 is a plan view of tray-shelf in position, also details of top of clamps.

Figure 6 is a detailed plan view showing pointed streamlined design of top of clamps.

Figure 7 is a side elevation, showing fragmentary View of tray-shelf with toggle pins fitted into toggle slots, and tray just .previous to lip of bracket being locked into position under spacing bar.

Figure 8 is a side elevation showing modification of the design, being a tray-shelf with brackets extended in front to form clamps for securing same to ironing board.

Figure 9 is aperspective view of same, showing whole device, tray-shelf and clamps formed together as one integral unit, detached from ironing board.

Figure 10 is a side elevation showing fragmentary View of ironing board with tray-shelf folded over end of same, with thumb latch locked into position. v

Figure 11 is a plan view showing iron stand ready for use, with latch in full open position.

Figure 12 is a full view of ironing board on end, foldedup ready for stowing away, with trayshelf locked securely to board by means of thumb latch.

Figure 13 is a detailed view showing fragmentary end of board, and tray-shelf with latch locked into tray.

Figure 14 is a detailed view of stud bolt and locking nut.

Referring to the drawings in detail, wherein like character of reference denotes corresponding parts. Figures 1 and 2 show the two main units of the flatiron holder, horizontal spacing bar 22 attached to clamps 2| integrally, clamps having upstanding flanges at top, into which to gle slots 28 are recessed in a forward slanting position, screw clamps 2| are of unique design, adjustable to any ordinary ironing board by means of curved clamping plates 30 with rounded corners 3|, and are recessed to form prongs 32 which fit into holes 38 in clamps where they swing free for adjusting, see Figure 3. Top of clamps 31 are thin, curved to a point and streamlined, the iron follows this curve in a natural manner in passing to or from the iron rest, said clamp tops also bury themselves in padding l9 and cover 29 of the ironing board, allowing free egress and ingress of iron to and from the stand, see Figure 5. Thumb screws 26 are curved to fit fingers for convenience in grasping. In Figure 2 a rectangular plate, preferably of 22 gauge cold rolled steel, is formed into a tray 23 by having the edges turned upward on the three sides away from the board, into upstanding flanges 34 to prevent iron from slipping off the edge, these flanges 34 are recessed at corners 35 to prevent anything from catching thereon, the tray 23 is formed into a shelf by having a flat triangular bracket 24 attached integrally thereto for added strength, said brackets 24 are recessed 33 to form protruding lips 29 which look under spacing bar 22. Toggle pins 21 are fastened integrally to upper front edge of brackets 24. In combining the two units, the toggle pins 2'! are dropped into toggle slots 28, swing downward in an are, where lip 29 of bracket 24 locks securely in position under spacing bar 22, forming a rigid double locking device which holds iron stand securely, so that it will support the heaviest flatiron without sagging or springing.

In Figure 1, fragment of board l8 shows the approximate portion of same which is wasted by reserving said space for iron holder which rests on the board. Fig. 3 shows tray-shelf 23 elevated at rear slightly above the horizontal plane 36, sloping to front where it is on a. level with working surface of ironing board, the three ribs 25 combined with beveled front edge shown in Fig. 3, enables iron to glide down ribs on to ironing board in a frictionless manner. In providing these and other features of my improved iron rest, I have considered every factor connected with the use of an iron holder, reduced same to workable terms and incorporated them into my invention, each part is constructed to serve a definite purpose, and as an aid to hand ironing brings this task up-to-date and in line with modern efliciency in labor saving devices.

Figures 8 and 9 show modification of the design, being a cheaper model, with brackets 39 extended in front to form clamps 40 for securing same to ironing board.

Figures 10 to 14 inclusive, show a modification,

with stud bolts 46 and locking nuts 41 for securing tray-shelf 23 and clamps 2| together, when not in use. Rest may be folded over on board and secured with latch 4 i, said latch has slot 42 which operates freely under screw 45, when tray 23 is in use thumb latch 4| may be thrown clear of board as shown in Figure 11. To look tray on board latch M is turned from position as shown with dotted lines in Figure 13, lip 43 enters bracket slot 44, latch 4| is slid in backwards under screw 45, recess 48 engages upstanding flange 5U, latch is opened by moving forward and out, see arrows in Figure 13. Tray remains secure when board is stood on end, see Figure 12. Latch by its shape and its own weight remains locked. Bolt 46 has smooth stud next to head to prevent its being screwed up too tightly by nut 41 for free turning. With the exception of the latching device and bolt fastenings, this embodiment of my invention is the same in every respect as shown in Figures 1 to 7 inclusive.

Having thus described my invention, the fol lowing is what I claim as new.

I claim:

1. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, upstanding ears on said clamping members, a supporting shelf pivotally mounted at one end between said ears, and brackets at the sides of said shelf depending therefrom, one end of said brackets being adapted to engage said spacing bar when said shelf is swung outwardly to support the shelf in a horizontal plane.

2. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, upstanding ears on said clamping members, a supporting shelf pivotally mounted at one end between said ears, and bracket plates depending from the sides of said shelf, the inner ends of said bracket plates being recessed to provide lips at their lower corners adapted to engage beneath said spacing bar when said shelf is swung outwardly.

3. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, upstanding ears on said clamping members having recesses therein, a supporting shelf, pivot pins projecting from the sides of said shelf at one end adapted to engage in the recesses of said ears, bracket plates depending from the sides of said shelf, the inner ends of said bracket plates having protruding lips at their lower corners adapted to engage beneath said spacing bar when said shelf is swung outwardly.

4. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members including opposed jaws, a screw clamp mounted in each of the jaws of said clamping members, spring pressure plates pivotally connected to said clamping members intermediate the jaws thereof, adapted to be actuated by said screw clamps, a spacing bar con-- necting said clamping members together, and a supporting shelf pivotally connected at one end to said clamping members.

5. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members including opposed jaws, a screw clamp mounted in each of the jaws of said clamping members, spring pressure plates pivotally connected to said clamping members intermediate the jaws thereof, adapted to be actuated by said screw clamps, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, a supporting shelf pivotally connected at one end to said 7 clamping members, and bracket plates depending from the sides of said shelf adapted to engage said spacing bar to support said shelf in a horizontal plane when swung outwardly.

6, A fiatiron holder comprising a pair ofclamping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, a supporting shelf pivotally mounted at one end between said clamping members, bracket plates depending from the sides of said shelf adapted to engage said spacing bar to support said shelf in a horizontal plane when swung outwardly, and a latch lever pivotally attached to the top of one of said clamping members adapted to engage in a slot formed in one of said bracket plates when the supporting shelf is swung inwardly.

'7. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of clamping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, upstanding ears on said clamping members, a supporting shelf, pivot pins projecting from the sides of said shelf at one end adapted to engage in recesses of said cars, bracket plates. attached to the sides of said shelf, and a latch lever pivotally attached to the top of one of said clamping members adapted to engage in a slot in one of said bracket plates when said shelf is swung to an inoperative position. 1

8. A flatiron holder comprising a pair of c1amping members, a spacing bar connecting said clamping members together, upstanding ears on said clamping members, a supporting shelf, pivot pins projecting from the sides of said shelf at one end adapted to engage in recesses formed in said ears, bracket plates depending fromthe sides of said shelf adapted to engage said spacing bar when said shelf is swung outwardly to an operative position, and a latching lever adjustably connected to the top of one of said clamping members adapted to engage in a slot formed in one of said bracket plates when said shelf is swung to an inoperative position.

AGNES J. 'I'OWLER. 

